Aloo Paratha

Aloo paratha is a potato (aloo) stuffed Indian flatbread( paratha). It is nice & soft with a mild potato flavor. This goes very well with pickles, ketchup or curd.

Ingredients

For the stuffing
2-3 medium sized potatoes
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
salt to taste
little lemon juice/ amchur powder, optional
some coriander leaves, chopped

For the dough
1 cup wheat flour (chapati atta)
1/2 tsp oil
salt to taste
water to knead dough

Method

Stuffing

• Boil the potatoes in the microwave for 2-3 minutes until nicely cooked. Peel potatoes. Mash them. Add the spices, green chillies, lemon juice, coriander leaves & salt and mix well. This mixture has to be very dry. Form into small balls
  

Dough

• Mix the chapati atta with salt and water to form a soft dough. Add the oil and knead for another 2 minutes. Let the dough sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Make lime sized balls.

For paratha

• Flatten a dough ball in your palm. Place one potato ball in it. Close it nicely. Roll out into a thin rounds. Refer the pictures to follow the step by step procedures.
• Cook it on an iron griddle/tava on both sides. Apply oil/ghee to the parathas.
• Serve hot.
  

Egg Curry

Eggs are an important source of protein, essential vitamins and minerals and can make a significant contribution to a healthy diet. Eggs are one of the comfort foods, which can be cooked as quickly OR as elaborate.

Usually egg curries are made with hard-boiled eggs. But this recipe is slighty different. The eggs are poached in the tomato sauce making it more tender.

Ingredients
4 eggs
1 cup water
1 medium sized onion, sliced
2 medium tomatoes, cubed
1/2" piece ginger
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1 tbsp of cooking oil
salt to taste

cilantro to garnish

Method

• Heat oil in a pan. Add the ginger & onions and saute it for 2-3 mins. Add tomatoes & saute until mushy. Add all the powders & mix until well combined.
• Grind the above ingredients in the mixer to a coarse paste with some water.
• Transfer the contents to the pan. Add salt & additional water (if required). Break eggs into the sauce one by one.
• Cook them with pan lid covered for about 5-7 minutes. Then lower the heat & simmer for couple more minutes.
• Yummy egg curry is ready to serve with rotis/ rice.
  
  

Masoor Dal Makhani

Dal makhani is a speciality dish from Punjab. Lentils are a very essential food group rich in proteins and fiber. Traditionally this recipe is made from a combination of black gram dal & kidney beans. The dals are cooked for hours until they get a creamy texture.

This makhani is a little simplified & a lighter version made with whole masoor dal, which in comparision with black gram cooks faster. The process is speedened up more by pressure cooking. Even if it is cooked traditionally, the dish is ready in an hour.

Ingredients
2 cups masoor dal
4 cups water

1 medium sized onion, sliced
1 medium sized tomato, sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2" piece of ginger, grated/crushed
2-3 green chillies, slit lengthwise

1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp of cooking oil
salt to taste

cilantro, to garnish

Method

• Heat oil in the pressure cooker. Add the ginger, garlic, green chillies & onions. Saute it for a while.
• Add the tomatoes & cook till they become mushy. Add the turmeric, chilli, coriander and garam masala powders.
• Add the dal, water & salt and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles.
• Once the pressure is down, check if the dals are cooked. Add water if necessary. Cook the dals little further on low heat until they are nice & creamy.
• Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with rotis.

Potato Poha

This is a very popular dish from Maharashtra. It is a very simple dish, yet sometimes you have to master it to get it right :-)

Ingredients

1 cup thick Poha

1 medium sized Potato

1-2 green chillies, chopped fine

1 medium size onion, finely chopped

1 tsp turmeric powder

salt to taste

few curry leaves

few peanuts (optional)

few cilantro leaves, chopped fine

Tadka

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 tsp cooking oil

Method

• Microwave potato for 1 minute. Peel the skin & chop fine.
• Wash poha with tap water & let it sit until you prepare the tadka.
• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, peanuts, onions, green chillies, curry leaves & saute until the onions are transparent.
• Add the potato & turmeric powder & mix well. Add the poha, salt & cilantro. Mix well. Lower heat & let it cook with pan covered for 2-3 minutes.
• Serve hot.

Carrot Dal subji

A simple & delcious way to have a vegetable & dal combined in a nutritious way.

Ingredients

1 lb carrots, diced into small cubes

1/2 cup moong dal ( soaked in water for 10-15 mins)

1 small onion, sliced

2-3 green chillies, slit lengthwise

few curry leaves

1 tsp turmeric powder

salt to taste

Tadka

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp cooking oil

Method

• Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard & cumin seeds. Let them splutter.
• Then add the onions, green chillies & curry leaves and saute until onions are golden brown.
• Add the carrots, soaked moong dal, turmeric & salt. Mix well. Add about 1 cup water. Let it cook on low heat until the dal is fully cooked.
• Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with rotis or rice.

Chilli chicken

We have an Indo-chinese restaurant in our neighborhood which serves a dry version of the chilli chicken and its sooo yummy :-) . I wanted to try it out at home and after looking the internet for some recipes I combined couple of them and came up with this one. The taste definately matched the one like the restaurant :-). Here you go....

Ingredients
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut in small cubes)

Marinade
1 tbsp chilli powder
2 tbsp soya sauce
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp cornflour

For the dry gravy
2 whole dried red chillies (optional)
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 tbsp chopped garlic
4-5 chillies slit length-wise

2 tbsp soya sauce
2 tbsp chilli-garlic sauce

Oil for frying

Method

• Mix all the ingredients of marinade and marinate the chicken in it for about an hour.
• In a large frying pan, heat the oil and shallow-fry the chicken cubes .
• Since the chicken pieces are small they get easily cooked. You know you are ready to turn them when the side on top if white with small pink center on top. Drain on paper towels Cool.
  
• Keep about 2 tbsp oil in the frying pan. Heat it and add dried red chillies, white portions of the green onions, garlic and green chillies. Stir fry 2-3 minutes.
  
• Add the soya sauce and chilli-garlic sauce. Add salt, depending on taste. Usually, with that amount of soya sauce, its not necessary. Mix to coat all the chicken with the sauce. Stir-fry for another 2 minutes.
• Remove from flame and top with chopped greens from the green onions

This chilli chicken was served with chicken fried rice, the recipe of which will follow in the following post :-). Hope you enjoy!!

Note: You can substitute chicken breasts for the chicken thighs called for in this recipe.

Idli upma

Idli upma: Sweet & simple breakfast prepared with leftovers :-).

Everytime I make idlis, I try to have some extra so that I can prepare "Idli upma" as a quick snack.

Ingredients
6-7 leftover idlis
1/4th of a small onion, chopped fine
1/4 inch piece ginger, crushed
few curry leaves
few green chillies (slit lengthwise)
handful of cashews (or less/optional)
salt to taste

2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal

Method

• Mash all the idlis with hands. If it was refrigerated, heat them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
• Take oil in a pan. Make tadka with the mustard seeds, urad dal & cashews. Add the onions, green chillies & ginger. Saute until onion is transparent.
• Add the mashed idlis & salt to taste. Mix well & keep on low flame covered with a lid. After 2-3 mins give a quick stir & keep for another 2-3 minutes.
• Serve hot.